Warm, wet weather increases tick population in the Carolinas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Residents in the Carolinas should be prepared for more tick encounters, according to experts.

The overall increase in the tick population is pretty complex because it starts with acorns. More acorns mean more deer and more deer means more ticks.

“One tick can transmit five different viruses,” said entomologist Gretchen Pettis.

Channel 9 went out with Pettis on a tick sweep. She said the warm, wet weather is bring out more wildlife and the ticks are having a feeding frenzy. But she also said there’s a human factor to the increase.

“I think a lot more of what’s happening here is we’re moving into tick habitat,” Pettis said.

She said tick hideouts aren’t in open grassy areas in the sun, but darker forested spots.

Residents should look out for damp leaves and brush that can usually be found on the edge of walking paths.

“I would definitely recommend removing leaf piles and any leaf litter you might have lying on the ground,” Pettis said.

Experts also recommend using sprays that contain permethaline. It can be sprayed right on clothes and can reduce the chance of a tick bite. But a tick bite is not necessarily a guarantee of getting a disease. Experts recommend putting the tick in a bag and freeze it, then show it to a doctor if a person starts feeling sick.

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